Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Although it had been more than half a month since then, the queues for the Vitality Soup were still going strong on the streets of the Imperial Capital, showing no signs of thinning out. The scene reminded Yan Liqiang of the time he had to queue for vaccinations at school when he was little.
There were more than ten million people in the capital region. Even if the bureaucracy was working at full capacity, feeding ten million people a mouthful of Vitality Soup each wasn’t an easy task. It would take at least a month or two.
Yan Liqiang didn’t know if the Vitality Soup was effective because he didn’t drink any of it. Ever since the imperial court started distributing the soup, the two newspapers running in the Imperial Capital started singing praises for the imperial court and the Emperor. The citizens held the small bowl of Vitality Soup in their hands like it was a Ten-Thousand-Year Lingzhi infused by the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth.
This also became a rare event that only happened every few centuries. The Emperor ordered the Imperial Academy of Medicine to brew the Vitality Soup out of consideration for his people and generously emptied out the imperial pharmacies. The ministers in court also selflessly and generously gave up a few months of their wages for the sake of funding the distribution of the Vitality Soup.
“His Majesty is indeed a wise ruler that is hard to come by! Just look at the streets. Never in history have we seen an emperor provide medicinal soup for the people at his own expense…” The person sharing the carriage with Yan Liqiang was none other than Eunuch He. Ever since Yan Liqiang angered the Emperor at Guanglu Hall last time, the old eunuch never stopped giving him attitude. When he sent Yan Liqiang out of the Imperial Capital back then, the old eunuch put on a sour face the entire journey and treated Yan Liqiang like an arrested criminal. He was either blaming Yan Liqiang or ignoring him.
It was still the same eunuch who came to fetch Yan Liqiang to escort him to the palace today, but he acted like nothing had happened. When he met Yan Liqiang again, he was as friendly to him as Eunuch Liu was without feeling even a shred of shame or awkwardness. Yan Liqiang simply had to admire and sigh in amazement at his face-changing ability. It would seem like not just anyone could take the job of a eunuch.
While both of them were sitting in the carriage, Eunuch He went on singing the Emperor’s praises and tactfully changed the topic when he noticed that Yan Liqiang was only listening to him silently. “…Despite His Majesty’s thoughtfulness and efforts, wicked people like the White Lotus Society still want to bring harm to him and conquer his land. Lord Yan, do you think those wicked people should be killed?”
“Yes, those people should be killed!” Yan Liqiang nodded and spoke with a serious tone. “It is not easy for His Majesty and the ministers in the imperial court. I heard that many ministers even donated their wages to fund the Vitality Soup, and the donations were as huge as a few hundred taels of silver. Surely the Heavens could see their love for the people. Anyone who dares to cast His Majesty and the imperial court in a bad light is surely an ungrateful dog that deserves to be cut into a thousand pieces!”
The old eunuch was extremely satisfied with the reply. His face bloomed like a chrysanthemum flower and his eyes were squinted. “No wonder Eunuch Liu regards Lord Yan highly. It’s great that you are capable of such opinion and insight…”
“I have to thank Eunuch Liu for telling a lot of good things about me to His Majesty this time. Otherwise, His Majesty would not be pacified this easily!”
The old eunuch cast a strange look at Yan Liqiang when he heard him. “Hm, so you do know. It seems like you are very well-informed!”
“I didn’t need to inquire about this. Knowing Eunuch Liu, he would definitely intercede with His Majesty for me if he returned to the Imperial Capital!”
It was thanks to Eunuch Liu who returned to mediate between him and the Emperor that the tension immediately dissolved. However, the Emperor was still too prideful to give in first, so he used the Crown Prince to indirectly convey his intention. After all, Yan Liqiang was the Crown Prince’s archery master, so it was totally reasonable for him to enter the palace and teach the Crown Prince archery. With this to leverage, the Emperor wouldn’t feel awkward when they met again. Eunuch Liu had certainly worked hard to give both sides a way out.
More importantly, it was due to his importance of being a ”lucky charm’ that could suppress ‘Lin Qingtian’ before the Emperor left for his southern tour. His Majesty would feel more at ease if he kept Yan Liqiang by his side. Apart from that, he also fancied Yan Liqiang’s strength and capabilities, so he wouldn’t simply fall out with Yan Liqiang.
Although Yan Liqiang didn’t say anything regarding his summon to the palace, he was extremely clear on the situation.
“Indeed, indeed! No wonder Eunuch Liu sings you praises! Your intentions are pure, but be mindful of your words this time in the palace. Do not anger His Majesty again!”
“Rest assured, Eunuch He. I definitely won’t make things difficult for you again!”
“Good, good…”
“Oh right, this is my first time meeting the Crown Prince. I wonder if His Highness has any preferences or if there’s anything I need to pay special attention to around him?” While speaking, Yan Liqiang fished out a silver promissory note worth two thousand taels of silver and shoved it into the old eunuch’s hands.
The smile on the old eunuch’s face broadened when he glanced down and saw the face value of the silver promissory note. He fluidly stashed the silver promissory note into his sleeves while secretly praising Yan Liqiang’s sensibility, then whispered, “The Crown Prince has been learning from His Majesty since young, so they share quite a few similarities. He is mindful of the rules and works quite hard in his cultivation, and even so he still retains his youthfulness…”
The old eunuch continued telling Yan Liqiang about the Crown Prince’s preferences and temper until the carriage stopped outside of the palace. By then, it was already almost noon.
Just like last time, the old eunuch brought Yan Liqiang directly inside the palace. As soon as they crossed the Golden Water Bridge, the Phoenix Gate opened up ahead and a large group of ministers came out through the gate while chatting. The old eunuch quickly pulled Yan Liqiang to the side and waited until the ministers went past them. He explained to Yan Liqiang, “Today is the 15th, and the assembly went on a little longer than usual. Look at the time — it’s almost noon and the ministers have just been dismissed from the court. I bet His Majesty must’ve been be busy the whole morning…”
Yan Liqiang watched the ministers walk out of the Phoenix Gate with a dull expression on his face and his eyelids twitched. The moment the gate opened and the ministers walked out, the pendant hanging in front of his chest suddenly got hot and vibrated slightly. The vibrations were transmitted to Yan Liqiang’s sea of consciousness like an alarm.
The hot vibrating object was none other than the ‘Demon Detection Stone’ from Jade Luo Palace. Ever since Yan Liqiang obtained the stone, he fashioned it into a pendant and carried it on him everywhere.
—”This is a Demon Detection Stone. On the first and 15th of each month, if there’s a demon within a hundred meters of you, this Demon Detection Stone will get hot. This is also a validation for a Jade Luo Palace disciple. Take care of it!”
Cui Lichen’s words echoed in Yan Liqiang’s ears. Feeling the heat and vibration of the Demon Detection Stone and looking at the powerful-looking ministers walking past him, Yan Liqiang’s brain felt numb.
There were non-human demons amidst the ministers who came through the Phoenix Gate. So aside from Lin Qingtian, there were other demons hidden in the imperial court…
Today happened to be the 15th day of the month. Yan Liqiang discovered traces of demons among the most unexpected crowd at the most unexpected place and time.
Yan Liqiang was hoping that the Heavens was joking with him, but the hot Demon Detection Stone on his chest and the firm vibrations from his sea of consciousness were telling him that it wasn’t a joke. A demon had indeed hidden itself among these ministers and had just come out from the palace…
Yan Liqiang watched the ministers with eyes as wide as saucers, trying to look for some discernible signs. Yet all he saw were dignified, solemn faces, and awe-inspiring official robes fluttering before his eyes. He couldn’t see any flaws among them…
